


Fever

by QueenIX



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-12 21:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5681899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenIX/pseuds/QueenIX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kira's not feeling well, and it's Odo's fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fever

  

“Nerys? Are you here?”

Kira started and drew in a deep breath as she woke. Well, part of her woke up, anyway. Her mind woke fully, but her body didn’t. Her body had no interest in being awake whatsoever and immediately made its protests known. The analgesic Dr. Bashir gave her earlier had worn off, and her aches and pains returned with her rise to consciousness. Her fever was still there, too. All she wanted was to bury her face back in her pillow, go back to sleep, and make it all go away.

“Nerys?”

Odo’s voice was closer this time. Actually, she was glad to hear it, even if he had woken her. She was always happy to see Odo, no matter what state she was in. She raised her head off her pillow just enough to answer.

"I’m here, Odo,” she slurred.

A few seconds later, Odo appeared at the threshold of her room. “I’m sorry, Nerys, were you sleeping?”

“Not really,” Kira replied.

That was a lie, of course, but a white one. If Odo knew he'd woken her, it would only upset him. Reluctantly, Kira rolled over and eased herself onto her back. She propped herself on her elbows so she could see Odo's face.

“I was just dozing," she said "but if you’re done with your shift already, then I’ve been lying here longer than I thought. What time is it, anyway?"

“It’s about dinner hour. I came to get you for our reservation at Clavel’s.”

“Prophets, I forgot all about that," Kira said. She heaved a tired sigh and flopped back on the bed. “Odo, I’m sorry, but can we cancel? I’m not the least bit hungry and I don’t feel like crowds.”

Odo crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “Of course we can cancel,” he said, smoothing her hair. “Computer,” he called, “cancel reservations at Clavel’s, Odo, party of two.” The Computer chirped and confirmed Odo’s request. “You know, Nerys,” he said, “in all the time I’ve known you, this is the first time I’ve _ever_ known you to spend an afternoon lying in bed, in your nightshirt. You didn’t even take naps this long when you were pregnant.” His brow drew with concern. “What’s going on? Are you ill?”

Kira shrugged. “Yes and no.”

“Should I call Dr. Bashir?”

“I’ve already seen him.” Kira found Odo’s hand and clasped it in hers. “Really, I’m being self-indulgent, Odo. I don’t have to be in bed, I’m not really sick. It’s just my cycle, that’s all.”

“Cycle?” he repeated. “As in fertility cycle? I thought you didn’t have to have those.”

“I don’t,” she replied. “I shouldn’t be having one now, either. I haven’t stopped taking my medication, but my body decided it didn’t care what Julian was shooting me up with and had its way. I saw him this morning, just to make sure everything was okay.”

Tension appeared around the edges of Odo’s eyes and in a slight stiffening of his posture. “And what does Dr. Bashir say?”

“He says I’m fine,” Kira soothed. She lifted Odo’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of it. “There’s nothing to worry about, Odo. Julian said it’s just a hormone imbalance, and it’ll even out on its own.”

“Does he know what’s causing it?”

“He sure does,” Kira replied. “He did lots of scans to find out, and his conclusion was pretty clear. He blames you for my fever.”

“Me?”

“Yup. It’s all your fault my hormones are out of whack.”

“My fault? How could it be…Wait, it’s not…But it couldn’t be…”

“It is, and it can,” Kira replied. “Like it or not, Odo, we’re officially pair bonded. At least according to my hormones.”

“But how?” Odo asked. “Dr. Mora said I would never be able to trigger a bond. I don’t produce pheromones, which are pretty critical to the process.”

Kira grinned. “Looks like I have enough pheromones for the both of us.”

“But shouldn’t the medication take care of that? I still don’t understand why it failed, or why Dr. Bashir couldn’t give you something so you don’t have to go through this.”

“Julian said he could give me something, if I wanted to trade my cycle for the potential side effects of violent vomiting and migraine headaches.”

Odo grimaced. “No deal.”

“No kidding,” Kira returned. “Odo, nature always finds a way to make itself heard. Sometimes all we can do is listen. The cycle will run its course like it’s supposed to, the fever will break, and then I’ll be fine.”

Odo's frown was still in place. He reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. He turned back to Kira to search her now-illuminated face. Kira knew what he was looking for and tolerated his skepticism, knowing he needed to see the physical proof for himself that what she said was true. She didn’t take it personally. She knew her lover well and knew his self-doubting nature never let him truly believe that she loved him as much as she always told him she did. In a way, this imbalance of hers was a blessing. Nature had stamped the proof of her love all over her face. Odo would see the same signs and symptoms of her condition that she had. He would see her pallor, her over-bright eyes and the deep fever-burn on her cheeks. They were reddened like she’d been in the sun too long, but even more telling was that the fever had also reddened the ridges on her nose. Those gently rouged ridges were the tell-tale difference between the signs of a regular fever, and the flush of a Bajoran woman in full cycle.

Odo smiled and traced the ridges on her nose gently. “Well,” he said, “there it is. I can’t wait to send a message to Dr. Mora and tell him he was wrong.”

“Oh, no you won’t,” Kira said. “If you do, he’ll want to write a paper about it or something. He’ll never leave us alone.”

“True,” Odo replied. “And Dr. Bashir would probably ask to be on his peer review panel.”

“Probably."

“This does explain a few things, though.”

“Like what?”

“Like why you threw a PADD at my head the other day. And like your…Well, how shall I put this? Your increased and intense interest in my physical person this past week. Especially after you threw that PADD at me.”

Kira chuckled. “I have been insatiable lately, haven’t I? Four times in one day should've clued me in to my condition. If I’d had my way, it would’ve been five. I don't think I heard a single word Captain Sisko said during the staff meeting yesterday. The whole time Sisko was droning on, I was fantasizing about tearing your clothes off—so to speak—and having my way with you, right there on the conference table.”

“That would’ve given a whole new meaning to being debriefed,” Odo said. “It also explains all the foot tapping. However, I do thank you for showing some restraint while we’re on duty, Colonel.”

“You’re welcome, Constable.”

“And we’re alone now, no long-winded captains in sight.” Odo leaned down and kissed her lips, then kissed his way across her cheek and to her ear. “If you’re still having trouble concentrating,” he growled, “I’d be happy to help you burn off some energy.”

“Mmm,” Kira purred. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll have to decline. I hurt too much.”

Odo sat up abruptly. “Where?” 

Kira laid a hand over her lower abdomen. "Here," she replied. 

"It just so happens I can help you with that, too,” Odo said. “Scoot, Colonel.”

Kira shifted her body to make some room for him on the bed. Odo began to shift as well. Kira squinted her light-sensitive eyes against the flash as his substance reformed. When she opened them again, Odo’s uniform was gone. He had replicated the traditional sleep clothes most Bajoran men favored—a loose, short-sleeved tunic and short, loose pants, all in a soft cotton.

Odo pulled the covers back so he could crawl in with her. Kira smiled as Odo's bare feet disappeared under the blankets. Seeing Odo’s feet always made her smile. Before she started dating him, she’d never thought of Odo as having toes.

Odo gently encouraged her to roll onto her side. He was right behind her, supporting her weight, tucking his knees behind hers and curling his body around her. He extended his arm so she had a place to rest her head and pulled the covers over them both. Their bodies always fit so perfectly when they spooned like this, and Kira had always wondered how much of that was chance, and how much of it was choice. Not that it really mattered. She was just as happy in Odo's arms either way.

Odo’s hand moved over the lowest part of her belly and rested there. A gentle, cupping squeeze on either side of her mons made her body contract and release the painful tension it had been holding. Kira made a small sound of pleasure and snuggled her hips closer to his. The hand over her belly was already warm, but Odo did something that made it even warmer, the heat penetrating her aching muscles and encouraging them to relax.

“Odo, that helps so much,” she drowsed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Nerys.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re always welcome.”

As Kira lay comfortably spooned with her lover, her bonding hormones did their work. They released into her bloodstream and quickly flooded her whole body, carrying well-being with them. Her fever aches were banished, even if the actual fever remained. She felt so good, she was weightless. Her body was practically floating off the bed she was so soaked with happy little hormones, almost as good as the ones she’d experienced in childbirth. She sighed and snuggled even deeper with Odo, enjoying the rush.

“Odo, I’m probably going to fall asleep again,” she said. “You don’t have to stay if I do.”

“Oh, yes I do. After all, according to medical science, I’m to blame for all of this. Keeping you warm is the least I can do.” He pressed his lips on her shoulder. “Besides, there’s absolutely nowhere else in the universe I can think to be that is better than being right here, like this, with you.”

Tears pricked Kira’s eyes. “And you ask me how, Odo. _This_ is how. This is how you can make a woman bond to you without any pheromones whatsoever.”

“Did this ever happen before? With Shakaar or Bareil?”

“Uh-uh,” she replied. “First time I've ever bonded. Though neither of them ever got to spend as much time with me as you do, and not that I think that would’ve made much difference.” She turned her head and kissed his arm. “Neither one of them ever took care of me like you do. Or, I should say I could never relax enough to let them, which says it all. I never felt as…safe, I guess? That is the major trick in triggering a pair bond, you know. Making a woman feel so safe with you that her body decides it wants your babies.”

Odo hid his smug smile in Kira’s hair. “Well to be fair, I am a Changeling. Even without the pheromones, I suppose I do have certain advantages.”

“Like being able to keep up with me four times in one day? Yeah, I’d call that an advantage.” She laid her hand over Odo’s and squeezed her fingers in between his. “I do feel blessed to have you in my life, Odo. If you don’t believe anything else I ever say to you, believe that.”

“I do believe it, Nerys," he said. "I do believe…Now, get some rest. I’ll be right here, for as long as I can be.”

“G’night, Odo,” Kira said. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Nerys.”

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Based on characters belonging to CBS/Paramount. The characters are theirs, this story is mine.


End file.
